Wineglass, a method of packaging wine, and a wine container

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method of packaging wine in a container essentially consisting of a plastics material glass closed by a lid, wherein a lid is sealed to the rim of the glass and, while sealing the lid, the container is deformed to reduce the volume of the head space.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 13/201,475filed on Sep. 12, 2011, which is a 371 of PCT/FR2010/000201 filed Mar.11, 2010 which claims priority from French Patent Applications Nos.0901210 filed Mar. 16, 2009 and 0901211 filed Mar. 16, 2009, the entirecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a wineglass, to a container filled withwine that incorporates this wineglass, and to a method of packaging winein this glass.

The invention relates in particular to a plastics material glass and toa container that incorporates this glass and is filled with winepackaged in a modified atmosphere.

PRIOR ART

Packaging wine in a sealed drinking glass is described in French patentFR 2 735 003. The container in that patent includes a closure memberfitting closely to the wall of the container in order to seal thepackaging; the closure member has a plane lower face situated in thevicinity of the free surface of the wine in order to define a residualspace of at most two cubic centimeters. The glass is made of glass orplastic.

The choice of such a small residual space (also referred to as a “headspace”), although it makes it possible to limit the volume of gas“trapped” in the container, requires the use of a closure memberspecifically adapted to the shape and the dimensions of the drinkingglass concerned, which is costly, makes it difficult to automate closureof the glass by such a member, and may also make it difficult for aconsumer of average dexterity to open the container.

The European patent EP 1 235 501 proposes to package wine in a sealedcontainer having overall permeability to oxygen that is sufficiently lowto allow long-term storage of the wine contained in the container.

The container is made of glass and is closed by a heat-seal film lidincluding a layer of aluminum coated with a protection layer.

The wine is packaged in a low-oxygen atmosphere; thus the head spacedefined by the film lid, the wall of the glass, and the free surface ofthe wine contains little oxygen, which limits oxidation of the wine.

The head space is at a lower pressure than the outside environment, inparticular when the oxygen concentration of the atmosphere in the headspace is reduced by injecting an inert gas or gases.

A reduced pressure in the head space (and consequently in the wine) mayfacilitate the diffusion of oxygen contained in the air around thesealed container through its walls, and in particular through the filmof material that seals the film lid to the (drinking) glass, if the filmlid and/or the wall of the glass have low permeability to oxygen, andthat compromises good storage of the wine.

That reduced pressure may also cause localized (confined or individual)rupture or detachment of the sealing film and/or the film lid, endingconfinement of the wine, and causing (micro)leakage of surrounding airinto the container, leading to rapid deterioration of the qualities ofthe wine.

Moreover, reducing the volume of the head space compromises userfriendliness when the glass is closed by a plane film lid: there is agreater risk of spilling the wine when peeling off the film lid and whenthe consumer raises the glass to the lips.

Strengthening the adhesion of the film lid to the edge or rim of theglass by means of a sealing film causes problems: the increased strengthof the seal makes it more difficult to detach the film lid and is liableto cause it to tear.

Moreover, increasing for this purpose the area over which the film lidadheres to the rim requires a glass with a thick rim, which reduces theenjoyment of the wine.

Moreover, a sealing film that is thick and/or that extends over a largearea of the rim is liable, after detaching the film lid, to leave behindfilm lid residues that remain attached to the rim, which is also notuser friendly.

Another potential problem linked to sealing a film lid to the rim of aglass is the result of a defect in terms of the flatness of the rim: inthis situation, closure may be perfect over only a portion of theoutline of the rim and may be deficient over a different portion of thatoutline, thus facilitating the occurrence of leaks between the insidevolume of the container and the medium (in particular the air)surrounding the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to propose a container filled with winecomprising a wineglass closed by a film lid that enables improvedstorage of the wine and that makes use of the glass by a consumer moreuser friendly.

An object of the invention is to propose a container filled with wineessentially consisting of a wineglass closed by a film lid, whichcontainer is improved and/or remedies at least in part the shortcomingsor drawbacks of known containers filled with wine.

An object of the invention is to propose a wineglass adapted to beeasily and efficaciously closed, by a film lid, which wineglass isimproved, and/or remedies at least in part the shortcomings or drawbacksof known wineglasses.

An object of the invention is to propose a method of packaging wine in acontainer essentially consisting of a glass closed by a film lid, whichmethod is improved and/or remedies, at least in part, the shortcomingsor drawbacks of known methods of packaging wine.

One aspect of the invention proposes a plastics material glass, in whichthe upper extremity of the edge (or rim) of the glass comprises anannular thermoplastic material rib and two receiver surfaces (orvolumes) lying on either side of the rib and set back from the top ofthe rib to receive plastics material resulting from flattening of therib.

In section the rib may have an upside down ‘1’ shape.

The rim may have a central upper part and two lateral lower parts setback from the central part, above and between the receiver surfaces,which makes it possible to increase the area of contact between the rimand a film of material for sealing a film lid to the rim, withoutincreasing the width (or thickness) of the rim, to increase theresistance to tearing off the film lid, to reduce the oxygenpermeability of the connecting area (the sealing film in particular)connecting the rim to the film lid, and to limit, or avoid the presenceof projecting residues after tearing off the film lid.

Two first substantially plane surfaces of revolution may lie on eitherside of a central part of the rib and be set back from the top of therib, and two second substantially plane surfaces of revolution may lieon either side of and are set back from the two first surfaces;connecting surfaces, also of revolution, may each lie between one of thefirst surfaces and one of the second surfaces, to connect them togetherin pairs.

The rim may include a peripheral portion projecting relative to theoutside face of the lateral wall of the glass to cooperate with theglass to form a ledge or flange adapted to receive the extremity of aholding tool to facilitate manipulation of the glass or a blank for theglass.

The glass may in particular be produced in polyethylene terephthalate(PET) by an injection blow molding process.

Another aspect of the invention proposes a method of packaging wine in acontainer essentially comprising a plastics material glass closed by afilm lid, wherein an inert gas or gases is/are injected into the headspace, a film lid is sealed to the rim of the glass and the container iscaused to be deformed to reduce the volume of the head space whilesealing the film lid, this deformation preferably including plasticdeformation of the film lid and/or elastic deformation of the walls ofthe glass.

The inert gases may comprise carbon dioxide.

In particular, the annular rib on the rim of the glass may be deformedplastically while heat-sealing the film lid.

Another aspect of the invention proposes a container comprising aplastics material glass containing wine and closed by a film lidincluding a metal layer, wherein the film lid presents (at least) onelocal deformation adapted to facilitate deformation of a substantialpart of the film lid when a sufficient pressure difference is appliedbetween the two main faces of the film lid to facilitate overalldeformation of the film lid and to reduce the volume of the head spaceof the container.

The local deformation of the film lid may exhibit circular symmetryabout the longitudinal axis of the glass.

The metal part of film lid may include a plurality of concentric localdeformations, each exhibiting circular symmetry.

The deformed part of the film lid may have, in section, a U, V,half-wave, or full-wave shape.

Such local deformation of the film lid may be effected by stamping thefilm lid or the metal foil used to fabricate it.

Alternatively or additionally, the film lid may include numerous (local)deformations substantially regularly distributed over at least asubstantial part of the film lid. In particular, the film lid mayinclude at least ten deformations per square centimeter, thedeformations being of substantially identical shape and distributed overat least a surface exhibiting centered symmetry such as a ring.

The distributed local deformations of the film lid may be obtained byembossing at least part of the film lid or the metal foil used tofabricate it.

Although the film lid may be provided with these deformations over thewhole of its surface, a peripheral portion (or ring) of the film lid maybe free of deformations in order to facilitate deformation of the wholeof the film lid without deteriorating the contact and the adhesion ofthis peripheral portion to the rim via the sealing film.

The glass may include a first wall portion having a first thickness anda second wall portion extending the first wall portion and having asecond thickness less than the first thickness, the area of the secondwall portion being less than the area of the first wall portion, so asto confer on the glass a capacity for elastic deformation whilstensuring sufficient protection against, diffusion of oxygen through thewall of the glass.

This capacity for elastic deformation may improve the quality ofheat-sealing of a film lid to the rim of the glass, in particular in theevent, of a defect in terms of the parallel relationship between the rimand the head of the heat-sealing tool.

This capacity for elastic deformation may equally make it possible toreduce the volume of the head space during heat-sealing and whereappropriate to limit the pressure reduction in the head space when theglass is filled with wine and closed.

The first and second wall portions lie below the rim, the rim generallyhaving a thickness greater than the thickness of the first wall portion.

The ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness may be in arange of approximately 1.1 to approximately 3, 4, or 5 and in particularin a range from approximately 1.3 to approximately 2 or 3.

The ratio of the area of the first wall portion to the area of thesecond wall portion may be in a range of approximately 1.5 toapproximately 10, in particular in a range of approximately 2 toapproximately 4.

The second wall portion may project or be recessed relative to the firstwall portion, thus forming an enlargement or a reduction, respectively,of the volume defined by the walls of the glass.

The first and second wall portions may extend over surfaces ofrevolution.

The reduced pressure in the container may be of the order of 0.03 bar to0.3 bar. The volume of the head space may be in a range of approximately3% to approximately 30% of the capacity of the glass, in particular in arange of approximately 5% or 6% to approximately 10% of the capacity ofthe glass.

The invention makes it possible in particular to produce glasses with acapacity of one or more deciliters and containers incorporating theseglasses in which the volume of the head space is of the order ofapproximately 3% to approximately 10%, 20%, or 30% of the capacity ofthe glass.

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention appear in thefollowing description, which refers to the appended figures andillustrates preferred non-limiting embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view in section on a diametral plane of a glassof one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view in section on a diametral plane of a glassof another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view in section of the rim of the glass shownin FIG. 2 and is a view to a larger scale of the detail III from FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view in section of the rim shown in FIG. 3after sealing a film lid to the rim.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view in section of the rim after tearing offthe film lid to consume the wine.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view in section on a diametral plane of a glassof a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic side view of a glass of another embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of a film lid of one embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view in section taken along the line IX-IX ofthe film lid shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view in section of the film lid shown in FIG.9 having a central part that has been deformed by the effects of areduced pressure on its lower face.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view in section of a film lid of anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view in section showing the attachment of thefilm lid from FIG. 11, having a central part that has been deformed, tothe rim of a glass filled with wine, which is shown in part.

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view the film lid shown in FIG. 15 in sectiontaken along the line XIII-XIII.

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view in section of the film lid shown in FIG.13, having a central part that has been deformed by the effect of areduced pressure.

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic plan view of a film lid of another embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic plan view of a film lid of a furtherembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Unless indicated explicitly or implicitly to the contrary, elements ormembers that are structurally or functionally identical or similar aredesignated by the same references in all the figures.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 6, and 7 in particular, a plastics materialglass 20 includes a wall 45 forming the bottom of the glass and alateral wall 21 extending from the bottom 45 and terminated by a freeedge (or rim) 22.

In the configurations shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, the glass 20 and thewalls 21, 45 exhibit generally circular symmetry about the verticallongitudinal axis 26 of the glass; in particular, the upper part 60 ofthe wall 21 may have a cylindrical or frustoconical shape of circularsection about an axis 26.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 7, the wall 21 does not have thiscircular symmetry, a thinner part 63 of this wall lying in a plane,given reference 49 in the figure, that is not orthogonal to thelongitudinal axis 26 of the glass.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the major part 60 of the lateral wall 21 andlikewise the major part 61 of the bottom wall 45 have respectivethicknesses 25 and 27, that may be of the order of 1 mm to 2.5 mm.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, a lower part 23 of the wall 21,which has a thickness 28 less than the thicknesses 25 and 27 of the wallportions 60 and 61, projects outwards from the upper part 60 of the wall21; this thinner portion 23 connects the portion. 60 of the wall 21 tothe bottom wall 45 and is the result of a local enlargement of theinside section of the glass.

In contrast, in the configuration shown in FIG. 6, the thinner lowerpart 62 of the wall 21, which lies between and connects together thebottom wall 45 and the upper part 60 of the wall 21, forms a localdepression on the outside face of the lateral wall of the glass andreduces the volume (of the glass) defined by this wall.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the bottom wall 45 also includes athinner portion 29 that is centrally located and surrounded by the thickwall portion 61.

These thinner wall portions, thickness that may be of the order of 0.5mm to 1 mm, facilitate substantially elastic deformation of the glass20, in particular if the glass is subjected to a compression force alongits longitudinal axis 26; this makes it possible, notably when sealing afilm lid, to reduce the height. 24 of the glass, for example by 1% to2%, and to reduce the volume of the head space.

Referring to FIG. 3, the rim 22 includes a peripheral portion 36projecting from the outside face 21 a of the lateral wall 21 and forminga projecting annular flange.

As shown in FIG. 7, this flange 39 may serve as a bearing point, toreceive the end of a holding tool 48, which facilitates manipulation ofthe glass or its blank by means of this tool during fabrication of theglass by molding; this fabrication is preferably effected by injectionmolding a thermoplastic material to obtain a blank for a glass and thenby blow molding the blank to obtain the glass.

Referring to FIG. 3, the upper end of the rim 22 includes a rib 90 ofupside down T shape that lies above two surfaces 34, 35 of the rim lyingon either side of the rib 90. These surfaces 34, 35 are substantiallyplane and coplanar, i.e. they form part of or extend along a planeorthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the glass.

This configuration confers upon the (diametral) cross-section of theupper end of the rim a stepped shape with three levels and five steps 31to 35: the faces/surfaces 34, 35 form two first level steps; two otherfaces/surfaces 32, 33 that are substantially coplanar correspond to thetwo arms of the T shape and lie above the surfaces 34, 35, forming twosecond level steps; and a central surface 31 that corresponds to the endof the stem of the T shape and that lies above the surfaces 32, 33 formsa fifth third level step.

The vertical distance 38 between the surfaces 32 and 34 and also betweenthe surfaces 33 and 35 is preferably greater than the vertical distance37 between the surfaces 32 and 33, and the central surface 31. Thevertical distances 37, 38 are preferably less than 1 mm and for examplein a range from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.

The surface 31 may be substantially plane and orthogonal to thelongitudinal axis of the glass or, as shown in FIG. 3, have a roundedprofile (in section).

Connecting surfaces such as the surfaces 50 that extend along cylinderswhose axis is the longitudinal axis of the glass, for example, connectthe surfaces 31 to 35 together in pairs.

As emerges in particular from a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4 or of FIGS.3 and 5, the part. 51 of the rib 90 corresponding to the stem of the Tshape “disappears”: this upper central part 51 of the rib 90, which issubjected to heating and to compression transmitted by the film lid, issoftened and melted, at least in part, with the lower part of the rib,which corresponds to the cross-bar (or the arms) of the T shape, whichis also softened by the effect of this heating.

This results in enlargement of this lower part of the rib and reductionof the width of the surfaces 34 and 35; the duration and the temperatureof heating the film lid, the magnitude of the force pressing the filmlid onto the rim, the width of the surfaces 34, 35, and the verticaldistance 38 are all chosen so that deformation at the upper end of therim during heat-sealing does not cause enlargement of the rim and doesnot cause the softened material of the rib to overflow beyond thesurfaces 34, 35, which would make the glass less user friendly.

Accordingly, with the connecting surface 50, the two surfaces 34, 35determine a receiver space (or volume) on either side of the rib, inline with the lower portions of the rib forming the crossbar of the Tshape, and set hack from the top and the portion 51 of the rib, toreceive the plastics material that creeps upon the flattening of the ribcaused by the heat-sealing process.

When sealing a film lid to the rim, the central portion 51 may thusdisappear completely (see FIG. 4), or only in part (see FIG. 5), inparticular if the upper end of the central portion is not perfectlyflat.

In the sealing configuration shown in FIG. 4, the film lid 40 includes ametal central layer 42, in particular a layer of aluminum, the thickness46 of which may be of the order of 30 micrometers to 60 micrometers, forexample; the outside face of the layer 42 is coated with a layer 41 thatmay be a lacquer or a film of plastics material, in particular apolyester film adhering to the layer 42.

The layer 42 is moreover coated on its inside face (which is also itslower face in relation to the disposition shown in the figures) with alayer 43 of thickness 47 that may consist of a lacquer or a heat-sealingplastics material.

By means of the (deformed) T-shaped rib, the area of contact and sealingbetween the rim and the film lid is increased without the width (orthickness) 30 of the rim being increased (see FIG. 3).

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the film lid 40 includes a single centeredcircular deformation 70 having (in section) a half-wave profile andprojecting from the lower face (inside face) of the film lid.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 11, the film lid 40 includes twoconcentric circular deformations 70, 73 each having a half-wave profileand projecting from the inside face of the film lid.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 12, if the inside face of the film lid (sealedto a glass) is subjected to a sufficiently reduced pressure, theportions 71, 76 of the film lid respectively defined by the deformations70, 73 are entirely deformed and project on the inside face of the filmlid.

The result of this is the appearance of a cavity 72 over a substantialpart of the outside (upper) face of the film lid, a reduction in thevolume of the head space (88 in FIG. 12), and a limitation of thereduced pressure in the glass filled with wine 81.

In the embodiments corresponding to FIGS. 13 to 16, the substantiallyplane film lid 40 includes many small deformations 80 regularlydistributed over a substantial part of the film lid in the form of adisk (FIG. 15) or of a ring (FIG. 16).

These small deformations enable overall deformation 75 of thecorresponding part of the film lid, with at least the central partthereof then assuming a dome shape projecting from the inside face 40 dof the film lid as shown in FIG. 14 when this inside face is subjectedto a sufficiently reduced pressure, and enable a depression 72 ofsubstantial volume to be formed in the outside face 40 a of the filmlid.

These deformations 80, which may be obtained by embossing, may have adimension of less than one millimeter, they may be of substantiallyidentical shape, and they may be distributed at the rate of at least tendeformations per square centimeter of the surface of the film lid.

In the FIG. 16 configuration, a central part 40 b of the film lid isfree of such deformations 80; another peripheral part 40 c (or ring) ofthe film lid is also free of deformations in order to improve thecontact and adhesion between this peripheral part and the rim of theglass.

Reducing the volume of the head space 88 by deforming the film lidand/or the walls of the glass makes it possible to limit the reducedpressure in the closed glass to a value of the order of 0.03 bar to 0.3bar (i.e. of the order of 3*10³ Pascal to 3*10⁴ Pascal), and inparticular to a value situated in a range from approximately 0.1 bar toapproximately 0.2 bar.

The deformation of the film lid and/or the walls of the glass 20 mayresult from a reduced pressure in the glass (and in the head space inparticular) because of the effect of exchanges occurring between thewine and the gas mixture contained in the head space or of changesoccurring in the wine over time.

This deformation may be initiated or amplified by pressure on the filmlid and on the rim of the glass while sealing the film lid.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A container comprising: (a) a glasscomprising a bottom, a sidewall extending from the bottom andterminating in a rim; the rim defining an opening in the glass; (b) winein the glass; and (c) a film lid detachably sealed to the rim of theglass and covering the opening at a distance above a top surface of thewine; the lid comprising a bottom face that defines with the top surfaceof the wine a head space within the glass; the lid being substantiallyplanar but comprising at least one deformation in a portion thereof thatcauses the portion to deform and to impinge into the head space whenthere is a reduction in pressure in the head space that causes apressure differential between the head space and an environment outsidethe glass to exceed a threshold value, wherein the impingementsubstantially reduces a volume of the head space and limits the pressurereduction in the head space.
 2. The container according to claim 1,wherein the lid comprises a plurality of deformations at points on thelid that are spaced from each other, the deformations being configuredsuch that, when there is a reduction in pressure in the head space thatcauses the pressure differential to exceed the threshold value, thedeforming portion of the lid that impinges into the head spaceencompasses the plurality of spaced points.
 3. The container accordingto claim 1, wherein the rim comprises a rib on a top surface thereof anda receiver surface on each side of the rib; and wherein the at least onedeformation is configured such that, when there is a reduction inpressure in the head space that causes the pressure differential toexceed the threshold value, the deforming portion of the lid projectsinto the head space to a distance below the receiver surfaces.
 4. Thecontainer according to claim 1, wherein the at least one deformation isconfigured such that, when there is a reduction in pressure within thehead space, the portion deforming and impinging into the head space canreduce the volume of the head space sufficiently to maintain a pressurereduction within the head space at a value in the order of 0.03 bar to0.3 bar.
 5. The container according to claim 1, wherein the at least onedeformation exhibits circular symmetry about a longitudinal axis of theglass.
 6. The container according to claim 1, wherein the film lidcomprises a metal layer.
 7. The container according to claim 6, whereinthe lid comprises a plurality of concentric deformations within themetal layer, each of the plurality of concentric deformations exhibitingcircular symmetry about a longitudinal axis of the glass.
 8. Thecontainer according to claim 1, wherein the at least one deformation, insection, has a shape that is U, V, half-wave or full-wave.
 9. Thecontainer according to claim 1, wherein the lid comprises a plurality ofdeformations that are substantially regularly distributed over at leasta substantial part of the lid.
 10. The container according to claim 9,wherein the lid includes at least ten deformations per squarecentimeter, the deformations being of substantially identical shape. 11.The container according to claim 1, wherein the film lid is detachablysealed to the rim in a peripheral portion thereof, the peripheralportion of the lid being free of deformations.
 12. The containeraccording to claim 1, wherein the sidewall comprises a first wallportion and a second wall portion, the first and second wall portionsbeing integrally formed in the sidewall with the second wall portionhaving a thickness that is less than a thickness of the first wallportion and encompassing an area of the sidewall that is less than anarea encompassed by the first wall portion; the second wall portionbeing constructed and arranged to confer on the glass a capacity forelastic deformation when the glass is subject to a compression force ofa threshold value along a longitudinal axis thereof; the first wallportion being disposed closer to the rim than the second wall portionand being constructed and arranged to provide protection againstdiffusion of oxygen through the sidewall.
 13. The container according toclaim 12, wherein the first and second wall portions provide the glasswith sufficient elasticity such that, when the glass is subject to acompression force along the longitudinal axis thereof, a height of theglass can be reduced by 1% to 2%.
 14. The container according to claim12, wherein a ratio of the thickness of the first wall portion to thethickness of the second wall portion is greater than 1 and up to about3:1.
 15. The container according to claim 12, wherein the first wallportion comprises a first surface of revolution about a longitudinalaxis of the glass and the second wall portion comprises a second surfaceof revolution about the longitudinal axis, said second surface ofrevolution tapering radially outwardly while extending axially away fromthe first surface of revolution.
 16. The container according to claim12, wherein the first wall portion comprises a first surface ofrevolution about a longitudinal axis of the glass and the second wallportion comprises a second surface of revolution about the longitudinalaxis, said second surface of revolution tapering radially inwardly whileextending axially away from the first surface of revolution.
 17. Thecontainer according to claim 1, wherein the head space has a volume in arange of about 3-30% of a capacity of the glass.
 18. The containeraccording to claim 1, wherein the film lid comprises stampeddeformations.
 19. The container according to claim 1, wherein the filmlid comprises embossed deformations.